Connector with reinforcing follower



NOV. 21, 1939. RQGQFF 2.180,9 31

CONNECTOR WITH REINFORGING FOLLOWER I Filed June 16, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR.

JULIAN OGOFF Patented Nov. 21, i939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONNECTOR WITH REINFORCING FOLLOWER New York ApplicationJune 16, 1937, Serial No. 148,490

6 Claims.

My invention relates to split bolt connectors and'more particularly to the pressure element forming part of the unitary nut and washer assembly employed therewith. Split bolt electrical connectors are very widely used in the various electrical industries because of convenience in installation, low price, and the large range of conductors that any single size can accommodate. In the utility industry they are almost universally used for service connections and have substantially supplanted the twister or soldered joints formerly used.

Prior art devices employing less expensive methods of manufacture have not satisfied the standards of minimum performance which have been set up by the utility industry.

The forged connector described in Patent Reissue No. 20,096, materially advanced the art in the manufacture of the split bolt" portion of the connector by increasing its strength and durability, and simultaneously reducing its cost. I have attempted to solve in this present application, the problem of the pressure element.

The important function of a pressure element or pressure follower as I shall hereinafter refer to it, is to prevent the nut from scoring or gouging the conductor, as it rotates.

Accordingly, one of the objects of my invention is to prevent scoring or gouging of the conductor.

Another important function is to distribute the pressure evenly over as large an area as is possible, instead of at two points as is done by a nut.

Accordingly, another object of my invention is to provide a follower with as large a pressure area as is possible for contact with the conductor, with a continuous conductor supporting contact face.

Increasing the pressure longitudinally along the axis of the connector causes a radial component to act transversely to the applied force. If the legs are not properly reinforced, the free ends will bend inwardly to such an extent that the nut will skip a thread in the legs of the split bolt. This makes it impossible to apply sufiicient pressure on the conductors to obtain an efiicient joint.

A still further object, therefore, is to provide a follower that will reinforce the two legs of the split bolt connector with a very small tolerance between the width of the follower and the legs of the connector so that the legs will be continually and properly spaced.

Not only is it necessary to keep the legs of the split bolt spaced properly; it is also desirable that this be done in such a fashion that there is a minimum of friction between the surfaces of the follower and the legs of the split bolt that are in contact. Any work thatmust be done to overcome this friction results in so much less pressure being applied to the conductors.

Inasmuch as in connectors of this type, the efficiency of the joint is directly proportional to the pressure applied, it is desirable to obtain the highest possible pressure.

Another object consequently is to provide the aforesaid follower with smooth surfaces which will slide freely with' a minimum of friction.

In order that weight be kept to a minimum with resulting economies in shipping cost, and materials used, I make my follower of sheet metal. By the use of my novel construction, I obtain a greater saving in that I am able to use lighter gauge material than that used in previous types. Other objects are to provide a follower adaptable to production on automatic machinery, and which can be assembled to the nut by a simple and inexpensive method.

I attain these and other objects, and accomplish my novel results as can be readily understood froma consideration of the accompanying description, taken together with the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial-sectioned end view of my assembled nut, follower and split bolt, clamping two conductors together.

Fig. 2 is a partial-sectioned side view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a top view.

Fig. 4 is a development of the sheet metal blank which forms one part of the follower shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the other part of the follower.

Fig. 6 is a top view of the same.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the preferred embodiment in assembled form, the nut shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 8 is a top view of the same Fig. 9 is a development of the sheet metal blank of a single-piece embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a partial side view of the formed single-piece type.

Fig. 11 is an end view of piece follower.

Fig. 12 is a side view of the same.

Fig, 13 is a development of the fiat blank of the same type.

Fig. 14 is a development of one piece of another two piece type.

another type of single- Fig. 15 is a development of the blank of the other piece of the same type.

Fig. 16 is a side view of the two assembled pieces.

Fig. 17 is a top view of the same.

Referring more in detail to Fig. l, the connector It, consists of a split bolt ll, having two legs, 12 and I3, upon which is rotatably mounted a nut l5, internally threaded at l6. Upon the nut is assembled the preferred emboliment of my follower l1, seen in greater detail in Fig. 7, comprising the saddle section l8, and the reinforcing strut l9.

In Figs. 1 and 2, two conductors 20 and 2| are shown, clamped in the split bolt by the nut and follower assembly.

The saddle section I8 is shown in development in blank form in Fig. 4. It is formed to provide two fiap sections 22 and 23 and two wing sections 24 and 25 with cut out portions 26, which allow the flaps to be formed in a plane at right angles to the wing sections.

Ears 21 and 28 extend beyond the ends of the flaps and their function will be hereinafter explained.

The reinforcing strut l9, consists of an elongated rectangular section formed with corrugations 29, with ends 30 and 3| extending in opposite directions but in the same plane.

Saddle section I8 is formed as shown in Fig. 7, with the flaps and ears extending at right angles to the plane of the wing sections; the cutout portion 26 facilitating the forming operation, as previously explained.

The saddle section is designed to permit insertion into the nut aperture 32, the wing section engaging one face 33 of the nut preventing further movement.

By reference to Fig. 3, it can be seen that the width of the flaps is determined by the position they occupy. This is in turn, determined by the thickness of the legs of the bolt. The faces 34 and 35 of the fiaps are in sliding engagement with the two inner faces 36 and 31 of the bolt, which faces are the rolled and therefore hardened and smooth surfaces of the sheet metal.

The reinforcing strut I9 is then dropped between the two fiaps, the corrugations reinforcing the strut and preventing the flaps 22 and 23 and legs l2 and I3 from collapsing. The ends 30 and 3| of the strut I9, engage the face 38 of the nut l5, the ears 2'! and 28 inwardly bent to lock the saddle section I8 with the reinforcing strut l9, to form a unitary nut and follower assembly.

In this assembly, the nut l5 may be rotated, the follower l1, receiving only a longitudinal movement. In order that the follower may have the maximum pressure area, the wings 25 have a diameter as large as the diameter of the nut l 5. The wing surface is formed with a slight curvature 40 to receive the cylindrically shaped conductor 20, best shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 9 is illustrated a one piece follower with fiaps 4| and 42, wings 43 and 44, cut-out sections 45, and end sections 46 and 41 engaging the face of the nut for locking the pressure washer thereto, the conductor receiving face 48 being curved, as at 49. The reinforcing between the two flaps 4| and 42 being provided for by the thickness 50* of the two extending legs 5| and 52, as shown in Fig. 10.

In Fig. 13, another one piece follower is shown, with flaps 53 and 54, wings 55 and 56, ears 51, fitting into slots 58, the dotted lines 59, representing the folding lines to form a box-like construction, Figs. 11 and 12, ends and SI engaging the face of the nut for locking the follower thereto, with curved surface 62, provided for receiving the cylindrical conductor.

In Figs. 14 and 15, are shown the development of the blanks forming another modification of the reinforcing strut 63, and saddle section 64 respectively, with the flaps 65 and 66, wings 61 and 68, end sections 69 and I0, curved surface H, and ears l2 fitting into cut-out sections 13 when the two pieces are assembled about the nut as shown in Figs. 16 and 17, respectively.

From the foregoing, it can be readily seen that the construction of my follower provides anexceptionally strong assembly, as the sheet metal parts can be fabricated of extremely hard, highstrength alloys, and the free ends of the legs sub- Ject to collapse provided with reinforced short thicknesses of metal.

In every modification, smooth contact faces are provided, abutting the inner surfaces of the two legs of the split-bolts, instead of cut edges of metal engaging these inner surfaces and tending to prevent sliding contact.

By providing large pressure surfaces, the conductors are not scored or gouged, and the pressure is evenly distributed. In my preferred construction, the parts are almost rectangular, thus preventing waste of material.

Rivets are avoided, thus reducing the number of parts.

In every instance a continuous conductor supporting face is provided so that the pressure may be evenly distributed over the conductor surface.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that it is notconfined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which, objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplishthese results.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patents, is as follows:

1. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a slotted threaded bolt having two parallel faces in said slot;' a nut for-threaded engagement with said bolt; a follower having a conductor supporting face and two sheet metal side walls, the faces of which are the rolled surfaces of the sheet metal, for slidabl engagement with the two parallel faces in the slot of said bolt; and reinforcing means between the two sheet metal walls for preventing their collapse under pressure from the slotted bolt.

2. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a slotted threaded bolt having two parallel faces in said slot; a nut for threaded engagement with said bolt; a follower having a conductor supporting face and two sheet metal side walls; the faces of which are the rolled surfaces of the sheet metal, for slidable engagement with the two parallel faces in the slot of said bolt; and sheet metal reinforcing means between the two sheet metal walls for preventing their collapse under pressure from the slotted bolt.

3. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a slottedthreaded bolt having two parallel faces in said slot; a nut for threaded engagement with said bolt; a follower made entirely of sheet metal having a conductor supporting face and two sheet metal side walls, the faces of which are the rolled surfaces of the sheet metal, for slidable engagement with the two parallel faces in the slot of said bolt; and reinforcing means between the two sheet metal walls for preventing their collapse under pressure from the slotted bolt.

4. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a slotted threaded bolt having two parallel faces in said slot; a nut for threaded engagement with said bolt; a follower made entirely of sheets metal having a conductor supporting face and two sheet metal side walls, the faces of which are the rolled surfaces of the sheet metal, for slidable engagement with the two parallel faces in the slot of said bolt, the two side walls and 20 the conductor supporting means made of a single faces in said slot; a nut for threaded engagement with said bolt; a follower made entirely of sheet metal having a conductor supporting face and two sheet metal side walls, the faces of which are the rolled surfaces of the sheet metal, for slidable engagement with the two parallel faces in the slot of said bolt; and reinforcing means between the two sheet metal walls for preventing their collapse under pressure from the slotted bolt consisting of a corrugated rectangular sheet metal section, the cut edges in contact with the inner sheet metal side walls of the follower.

6. A connector for electrical conductors, comprising a slotted threaded bolt having two parallel faces in said slot; a nut for threaded engagement with said bolt; a follower having a conductor supporting face and two sheet metal side walls, the faces of which are the rolled surfaces of the sheet metal, for slidable engagement with the two parallel faces in the slot of said bolt; inforcing means between the two sheet metal walls for preventing their collapse under pressure from the slotted bolt; and means for locking said reinforcing means and sheet metal side walls into a unitary assembly.

4 JULIAN ROGOFF. 

